Collide
by DaisyJane
Summary: One-shot song fic. Bruce learns that Diana isn't just a super-powered demi-goddess but human being as well.


A/N—This is another one-shot story based on a song and a picture that I saw on Deviant Art. Here is the link http://chibijaime . /art / collide-wip-56567811 (remember to omit the extra spaces). Thanks to The-Lady-Isis for betaing this story for me and encouraging me with my writing. Also thanks to Chaosmob and Hepburn for their encouragement. You guys always make me feel better about my stories. Please read and review.

Disclaimer—All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Collide**

_The dawn is breaking_

_A light shining through_

_You're barely waking_

_And I'm tangled up in you_

_Yeah_

Bruce woke feeling better than he had in a long time - and with the reason for that curled against him. She roused briefly and gave him a sleepy smile before drifting off again. Part of him couldn't believe he was here, in Diana's bed on the Watchtower. Especially after they had argued last night.

They'd been eating dinner together in a conference room and discussing League business. They often did this, sometimes with Superman, but just as often without him. Bruce knew that part of the reason for these League business dinners was that they were as close as he would allow himself to get to having a date with her. He would never admit it, but he liked her company. Even when discussing boring topics such as scheduling monitor duty, he felt better being near her. And when they argued his stomach often clenched with excitement. She was a perfect foil for him and she never backed down from stating her point but she would also try to understand his point of view. But they were often - fortunately or unfortunately - interrupted before he did anything foolish.

_I'm open, you're closed_

_Where I follow, you'll go_

_I worry I won't see your face_

_Light up again_

Last night was no exception as he had received a call from Robin.

"Batman, Bane has been spotted near a warehouse by the docks. I need your assistance," Tim stated over the communicator.

"Be there in five," Batman replied and stood up. "Gotham needs me, Princess."

"Oh, Joker escaped again?" Diana smirked at him.

He glared at her briefly, as the Joker was not somebody to be taken lightly. All he received in response was a raised eyebrow.

"No, it's Bane," he said tersely.

"Bane! I'm coming with you," she said as she stood as well.

"No. Stay out on my city," he stated firmly.

"But it is Bane. He is a powerful meta and you may need my help," she argued.

"I have handled Bane before without your or anybody else's help, Princess. I don't need it now."

"Forgive me if I'm wrong, but didn't Bane nearly _kill_ you a few years ago? I would just make sure he didn't get a chance to try again," she said with a fierce gleam in her eye.

"He surprised me and I didn't know as much about his weaknesses then," Bruce corrected. "Now I can take him down with no problem. What I don't need is an arrogant meta who thinks she knows best about defeating my enemies," he'd hissed, pissed that she was treating him like some weak little mortal who needed the demi-goddess to save his ass.

She stood up straight and tilted her chin up with a regal air and said calmly, "Fine, Bruce, let him pound on you unnecessarily. It is your poor pathetic mortal life after all." And she stalked out of the room - leaving Batman to fume over her having the last word.

_Even the best fall down sometimes_

_Even the wrong words seem to rhyme_

_Out of the doubt that fills my mind_

_I somehow find_

_You and I collide_

He didn't know why he'd returned to the Watchtower several hours later. He had easily dealt with Bane and received barely a bruise for his effort. He'd felt smug and for some reason wanted to see Diana to let her know he didn't need the protection of the strongest woman in the world. He didn't regret his pettiness now. It turned out that the strongest woman in the world had needed him. He'd buzzed her room, and when he didn't hear an answer he punched in the code he'd memorized ages ago.

The room was dark but he could see the figure sitting on the bed in the starlight coming from the window. She seemed to be sitting in a fetal position in the corner of her bed. He turned on the light to see her covered in blood and debris and crying silently. She didn't even acknowledge his presence.

_I'm quiet you know_

_You make a first impression_

_I've found I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind_

"Diana, are you hurt?" he asked, all thoughts of gloating gone as he saw his teammate in a sorry state. He quickly moved toward her. He started to check for injuries when she slapped his hands away.

"I am fine, so you can leave!" she hissed at him with a glare as she hastily wiped at her eyes.

Bruce looked at her in shock. Diana was near invincible and she handled most things with a cool head, though sometimes she let her temper get the better of her. She just didn't sit in her room and cry. Did she? He'd never let her in enough to find out, not even when they thought Clark was dead. He had just counted on her to always take things in stride and to cheer him up when he was in a bad mood.

"What happened to you?" he asked softly as he sat next to her on the bed.

She didn't say anything for a few moments and Bruce wondered if she was going to ignore him. Then she turned incredibly sad eyes to him and said in a quiet voice, "There was an severe earthquake off the coast of Chile. We were called in to help with the rescue efforts. I was helping to pull a young girl out of a collapsed building when the tsunami hit. I was knocked unconscious when a large chunk of the building fell on the girl and me. By the time I regained consciousness and lifted the concrete off us it was too late. She was badly crushed and dying. The water was flooding the building as I flew us to safety. She kept whispering to me, 'Wonder Woman, por favor no permítame morirme'."

_Please don't let me die,_ Bruce translated silently in his head.

Diana let out another choked sob. "But she was too far gone, and she- she died moments later in my arms. I couldn't save her," she said as she looked at him. "What good is it to be so _gifted_ from the goddesses, but not be able to save an innocent or protect the ones you love?"

He looked into her wounded eyes, and saw what he rarely allowed himself to see regarding Diana. That she was human, and vulnerable and even she had problems. She failed and made mistakes just like any human being. He was an idiot not to see it and to dismiss her feelings because she could bench-press a tank.

Bruce drew her into his arms and held her as she cried. He understood now why she wanted to help him stop Bane. It wasn't to show off how powerful she was, but to protect him and keep him safe. Because she loved him.

_Even the best fall down sometimes_

_Even the stars refuse to shine_

_Out of the back you fall in time_

_I somehow find_

_You and I collide_

He pulled off his cowl and lifted her dirt and tear-streaked face up to his as he gently pressed his lips to hers. She loved him and he knew that he loved her. All the emotions between them were conveyed in that kiss. Both were breathing hard as he pulled his lips away and pulled her into a standing position. She was a mess; a beautiful mess, but a mess just the same. He walked her to the bathroom and turned on the shower. She stood quietly while he undressed her, not caring or ashamed of her nudity. He pushed her under the cascade of water then swiftly undressed himself and joined her.

He tenderly washed the blood and muck from her body and gently washed all of the dirt from her hair. Her skin was smooth and flawless and he couldn't stop himself from pressing a kiss to her shoulder. She turned in his arms and took the cloth and body wash from him and started to wash his body. Bruce gasped at having the tables turned but didn't stop her caressing strokes across his body or her lips that sipped the water from his chest. When her hand found the evidence of his arousal he gasped again. She lifted her lips to his and he pressed her into the wall as their hungry mouths fed on each other.

_Even the best fall down sometimes_

_Even the wrong words seem to rhyme_

_Out of the doubt that fills your mind_

_You finally find_

_You and I collide_

Bruce knew he'd crossed a line the moment he'd first kissed her on the bed. No longer would she be just a respected colleague and valued friend; she would be his love forever, even though they probably wouldn't last. None of his relationships ever did, but it was too late to stop now.

In his secret fantasies he always believed they would make love for the first time after a romantic evening. He should have known that the reality would be nothing like that. It would have to have taken a tragedy for him to admit his true feelings for her. All they needed was to be with each other. Wine and roses could wait for another time.

He turned off the shower and dried her off while she did the same for him. The years of repressed feelings made waiting another minute to consummate their relationship nearly impossible. They resumed kissing as he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed.

He controlled his passion as much as he could so that he could make her first experience making love as wonderful as possible. He eased her through the pain - and soon they were both breathless from the release of pleasure. He felt fulfilled in a way he never expected and she was more than he could ever have imagined. They soon gave over to exhaustion and fell into blissful sleep.

So now here he lay, hours later, holding her. Being together wouldn't be easy. They both had missions that consumed their lives. But when she woke and smiled at him he couldn't help but kiss her and put all their problems aside. For these precious moments, she was all that mattered in the world.

_You finally find_

_You and I collide_

_You finally find_

_You and I collide—Collide by Howie Day _


End file.
